Political faction

A political faction is a grouping of individuals, especially within a political organisation, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. It may also be called a power bloc, or a voting bloc.

The individuals within a faction are united in a common goal for the organisation they are a part of. They stick together to achieve this goal and improve their position within the organisation.

A political faction could be described as a “party within a party”. But political factions are not limited to political parties; they can form within any group that has some sort of political aim or purpose.

In the history of the Republic of China from 1911 until 1949, factionalisation within the Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang was a large problem for the central government, especially for Chiang Kai-Shek. Warlord factions which had been persuaded to ally with Chiang during the (1926–1927) had to be constantly pacified, as well as regional military governors who ruled regions that were not directly administered by Chiang's central government. Often historians conclude that this lack of unity contributed to the defeat of the Nationalists in holding mainland China during the Chinese Civil War.